Chocolate Boozy Marshmallows

My masterpiece.

These fluffy little whipped pillows of chocolatey Irish cream are perfection. In coffee, in cocoa, on a grown-up smore… amazingly delicious. While the alcohol doesn’t cook out of these, there’s only a couple tablespoons in the whole batch. How do you make these nom nom noms? Glad you asked!

Ingredients:

1 cup ice cold water, divided in half
3 packets of gelatin, flavorless
1 1/2cups of granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tb Irish cream liqueur
2/3 cup cocoa powder, divided in half
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup powdered sugar
non-stick cooking spray

Equipment:

Stand mixer with whisk attachment
non-stick pot
9×13 inch pan (glass preferred)
timer
poultry scissors

Instructions:

Step 1: Pour 1/2 cup ice cold water and 3 packets of flavorless gelatin into the stand mixer to bloom. Basically, this starts getting all gel-gooey. Stir it just enough to mix the dry powder into the water, then let it just sit in the mixer.

Step 2: Pour the other 1/2 cup ice cold water, granulated sugar,  light corn syrup and salt into your non-stick pan. With wooden spoon, stir to combine.

Step 3: Place the sugar mixture on stove over med-high heat. When the mixture begins to bubble just slightly on the edges, set your timer for 7 minutes. Resist the urge to stir.

Step 4: At 7 minutes, your candy syrup should be boiling away like mad, and will have turned into a clear, molten-lava-hot liquid. Turn on the stand mixer to it’s lowest setting, and CAREFULLY remove the boiling syrup from heat. Pour syrup directly into the mixer, while mixing, taking care not to spill on self.

Step 5: When all the candy syrup is in the mixer, turn the speed up, gradually, to it’s second highest setting. Set a new timer for 3 minutes.

Step 6: At the three-minute mark, your marshmallow will start to have a frothy, cloudy look to it. Turn the mixer speed back to lowest setting and add the Irish cream. Give it a few moments to incorporate, and turn the speed back up, gradually, to it’s second highest setting. Set a timer for 8 minutes.

Step 7: Pour 1/3 cup cocoa, powdered sugar, and cornstarch into a mixing bowl. Use a fork or whisk to mix. Spray your 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray, and use this cocoa/sugar/starch powder to coat the pan, being sure to coat the sides and bottom completely. Leave about 1/4 cup of powder evenly distributed in the bottom of the pan.

Step 8: As your latest alarm goes off, turn the speed down on your stand mixer again, and add the remaining 1/3 cup cocoa powder, slowly, to the marshmallow mixture. Gradually increase the speed to the highest setting and whisk for an additional minute.

Step 9: Pour your glorious concoction into the prepared 9×13 pan, spreading evenly with a spatula. Cover the top with another generous layer of the cocoa/sugar/starch powder, completely coating the top. Reserve remaining powder.

Step 10: Wait at least 4 hours. Yes, that’s the catch. Overnight is even better, but a minimum of 4 hours.

Step 11: Patience rewarded! Pull the marshmallow out of the pan – should be fairly easy if you dusted well, but if it’s sticking, sprinkle some cocoa/sugar/starch powder to ease it out. Using your poultry scissors, simply cut the sheet into cubes, dredging them in the reserved powder to dust all sides and seal the gooey goodness within.

Pack in an airtight container, generously sprinkling any remaining powder into the container, too. These keep about 3 weeks, if they last that long!

Hope you enjoy the chocolate boozy marshmallows! How will you make these your own? Kahlua? Chocolate-raspberry? Mmmm… experiments in my future!